Volume 3, Issue 10; October 27, 2009
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Come and celebrate the CAER Ground Breaking on Nov. 6, 9:30 am!
 The CAER and Bedford County welcomes you on Friday, Nov. 6, at 9:30 a.m. to the New London Business and Technology Center, located about a mile past the Rt. 460/811 intersection (at Sheetz and New London Academy), heading west on 460. You'll see the entrance on your right.
Join the region's elected officials, Bedford County and Tobacco Commission leaders, Design team staff, and Region 2000 guests to witness this historical occasion. An on-site reception will immediately follow for all who attend. Please RSVP to kwhite@region2000.org or call 434-847-1447 so we have a rough idea on headcount.
Check out a virtual tour of the planned facility here. |
Robots, science, and tech games, oh my!
Future Focus Expo 2009 draws record number of students
 More than 1,200 middle and high school students lined the inside of Liberty University's Tolsma Indoor Track in search of future careers at the 2009 Future Focus Expo held on Oct. 13.
The career fair, now in its fourth year, featured dozens of local companies that showed off products and services, as well as a host of technology challenges in which teens could compete to win awards and prizes.
The event is sponsored by the Region 2000 Technology Council in an effort to expose area students and their parents to career opportunities in promising career fields found where they live. This year, five school districts within Region 2000 participated. Some schools even provided transportation for students.
For more information, please visit www.futurefocusexpo.com.
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What's the current employment growth picture for our region?
Federal Reserve chart shows slight growth for Lynchburg MSA
 In its October 2009 Snapshot report, the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond found that the Lynchburg MSA was the only major MSA in Virginia to show positive employment growth in August, the most recent tracked month. See how we stack up against other major Virginia MSAs that the Bank tracks in this chart (left).
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Energy conservation grants available to local governments
The Local Government Council is coordinating competitive stimulus funded grants to localities in Region 2000 for energy conservation projects. Applications are due by Nov. 6, 2009 and are available here. Contact Gary Christie, LGC Executive Director at gchristie@region2000.org.
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Region 2000 SBDC to hold Tax Planning Strategies Workshop for business owners on Nov. 10
 The Region 2000 Small Business Development Center will hold a Tax Planning Strategies Workshop on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. at the Business Development Center, 147 Mill Ridge Rd., Lynchburg. Learn about the basics of tax planning, whether you're a new or
existing business owner.
Read more here.
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Career Center continues to serve unemployed workers
The Region 2000 Career Center (One-Stop) is the service delivery site
for the Region 2000 Workforce Investment Board. The center organizes
employment, education and training services. It has proactively responded to layoffs in all five localities during the economic downturn and continues to help unemployed workers to cope and prepare for new employment.
 Virginia Workforce Connection is a good tool for employers and job seekers
Employers - You can post job orders and review resumes posted by job seekers at the Virginia Employment Commission's website, www.VaEmploy.com
Job seekers - You can create a resume and search for jobs at www.VaWorkConnect.com
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Long Range Transportation Planning workshop set for Nov. 12
 Community
Workshop 1: How and Where Will We
Grow?
Thursday November 12, 2009
Liberty University's North Campus, Room 1875
6 - 8 p.m.
What makes a place special? Why are we drawn to some
shopping centers, streets, or neighborhoods, while others leave us cold? How can
we shape our region's transportation network to ensure future generations will enjoy
living, working, and playing here? Please join the Central Virginia Metropolitan Planning Organization in a
community-wide discussion of these and other questions related to Plan2035: The
Central Virginia Long Range Transportation Plan on Thursday, Nov. 12 from 6 - 8
p.m. at LU's North Campus building, Room 1875. Read full story here.
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Building a career out of legos? You bet!
New Get Set magazine helps area students prepare for workforce
 The 2010 edition of Get Set magazine was published this month and is being distributed to all ninth grade students in the region. The annual publication is produced by the Region 2000 Technology Council and Central Virginia Community College, in part, through a grant from the Nuclear Science Foundation. Blair Marketing assisted with the text and creative on the project.
"It's never too early to start thinking about the career you want after you finish school," says Jonathan Whitt Executive Director of the Technology Council. "This magazine helps teens prepare for their future and learn what the range of local options are in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math fields. "
Visit www.getset.cc to view the magazine online and learn more.
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Region 2000 staff members participate in Extreme Stream Makeover
 Virginia's Region 2000 staff members Kelly Hitchcock, Traci Blido, Gary Christie, and Scott Smith pitched in to help protect local water in the James River
Association's Extreme Stream Makeover on October 20.
Dozens of local volunteers, joined by Gov. Tim Kaine, worked on a variety of restoration and
watershed protection projects at Peaks
View Park, Jefferson Forest High School, and Wards Road. Some activities included
rain garden landscaping (pictured here), rain barrel assembly and installation, and forest
buffer planting.
Learn more about the James River Association here.
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YPCV to co-sponsor Holiday Sampler on Nov. 12
 The Lynchburg Regional Chamber of Commerce's Holiday Sampler is THE kick off to the Holiday Season and the Young Professionals will be there. The Sampler will be held on Thursday, November 12, 5:30-8 pm at the Holiday Inn, downtown Lynchburg. Enjoy networking, holiday gift ideas and delectable food, festive music and decor. Purchase raffle tickets for two round-trip Amtrak tickets to New York City on the new Northeast Regional Train!
Admission is $5 for Chamber members and YP Card Holders, $10 for general YPs, and $15 for general admission. Visit: www.ypcv.org.
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Lynchburg tourism statistics outshine statewide average The
Virginia Tourism Corporation recently released its figures showing tourism's
annual economic impact for 2008. The report shows the Tourism industry
brought $19.2 billion into the Commonwealth of Virginia last
year, supported 210,620 jobs and $1.28 billion in state and local tax
revenue. In comparison with data from 2007, tourism revenue increased
2.8 percent statewide. Read more at DiscoverLynchburg.org here. (click on story at top right.)
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Amherst County Administrator named to post
 The Amherst County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on October 6, 2009, to appoint C. Lee Lintecum to the position of Amherst County Administrator, effective October 15, 2009. The offer was made following a lengthy selection process involving roughly 30 candidates. Read more here. |
Tech-based economic development is theme at Partnership Annual Dinner
 Lessons learned from tech-based economic development was the theme of the Region 2000 Partnership Annual Dinner Meeting, held Thursday, October 15 at the Bedford Welcome Center in Bedford.
Adrienne Brown of RTI International, Chapel Hill, shared real examples of how technology has changed regions across America for the better. Her organization has worked with the CAER on business planning and grant applications.
View the presentation on video here. http://vimeo.com/channels/r2ktc
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 Virginia's Region 2000 Partnership serves 10 localities and is made up of the Economic Development Council, Technology Council, Center for Advanced Engineering and Research, Local Government Council, Workforce Investment Board, and Young Professionals of Central Virginia. Please send comments or story ideas to tblido@region2000.org.
Traci Blido
Program Mgr./Communications Officer |
To contact Virginia's Region 2000 Partnership, please call (434) 845-2000. |
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